Elite League: Belfast Giants on brink of title after 3-1 win in Sheffield

Belfast Giants will win the Elite League title on Sunday if they repeat Saturday's 3-1 win over Sheffield Steelers in what was the first of three contests in a week between the rivals.

Two JJ Piccinich goals and another from Mark Cooper put the Giants 3-0 up.

They withstood an attempted Steelers comeback in the final period despite conceding Tanner Eberle's strike.

Belfast's lead at the top of the standings is three points with three games remaining.

Even if they were to lose the second game of the doubleheader, the Giants know they can still win the title with a victory over Sheffield at home next Friday.

It was important to quieten the crowd in Sheffield and the Giants did that by taking the lead on their first powerplay opportunity early in the first period when Cooper beat Steelers goalie Row Stojanovic on his glove side from close range.

Just over two minutes later the lead was doubled when Goodwin found Piccinich at the back post and he made no mistake.

The third goal came eight minutes into the second period. Stojanovic made the first save but Piccinich found the loose puck in the crease and from close in beat Stojanovic high over the shoulder. Goodwin picked up his third assist.

At the other end the best defensive unit in the league backed by netminder Tyler Beskorowany were making sure Sheffield had no way back into the game.

After heavy pressure they did score with the man advantage early in the final period when Eberle netted but that's as close as the Steelers would get.

The Elite League title hasn't been presented since 2019 because of Covid 19 when the Giants won it on the final night of the season. Now they have a first opportunity to defend it successfully.